Life often comes down to a series of moments when a spontaneous decision can spur you on to great things.

British light heavyweight boxer Anthony Yarde can certainly relate to this after becoming so fed up with his job in finance that he walked away in pursuit of his dreams in the ring.

Now the knock-out artist, whose stature and explosive arsenal of punches have brought comparisons with Mike Tyson, is ready to seize his opportunity to star on BT Sport ’s new venture alongside Box Nation.

The 25-year-old possesses a confidence that defies his limited experience - with 21 combined amateur and professional fights - and he is fully aware that devastating stoppages could propel him into stardom now he is set to fight in front of millions.

“My job is, whoever is in front of me, annihilate them,” Yarde told Mirror Sport at the launch of Maximuscle's Home of Gains. “It’s a brutal sport, it’s not just about beating them - annihilate them.

Anthony Yarde has looked impressive in his nine outings to date (Image: Handout)

The light heavyweight is looking to move into contention for the British title this year (Image: Handout)

“It [the link-up between Box Nation and BT Sport] was massive,” admitted Yarde, who will be back out on April 22 for a card in Leicester, looking to move to 10-0. “Everything is timing, things fall into place.

“To be in the sport, you have to believe you’re the best. When BT Sport came [with into the sport], I thought, ‘I knew something like that would happen.'”

Yarde’s short time in the game has seen him race to 9-0 with an undercard appearance on the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Liam Smith bill at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium representing a career highlight.

Eight of his opponents along the way have been discarded in emphatic fashion with the stocky, powerful style of Iron Mike rubbing off on the Hackney-born fighter.

Yarde insists he wants to annihilate whoever is put in front of him (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“I used to watch a lot of Mike Tyson. My Mum used to watch Mike Tyson,” Yarde reveals. “What intrigued me was how small he was for a heavyweight.”

Yarde made up his mind early that college or university was not for him and while lacing up the gloves appealed most, owning his own business was his ‘back-up.’ The dream would not take off for several years though with a job in finance initially necessary until Yarde realised it was impacting on his hopes of making it in the sport.

“After school I started working straight away, I moved into the financial field,” Yarde explains. “I got made redundant at the job I was at - mortgages and loans for Halifax.

“I got another job with Capital One finance, doing pay day loans - hated it! I missed three days of training due to a shift, 12 midday to 8pm, and my manager told me that would be my shift over the next few weeks and it was over Christmas.

Yarde knocks down Ferenc Albert (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“So I went into the office and told him, ‘I won’t be in tomorrow,’ and I never looked back.”

Yarde is in the exciting light heavyweight division, which has recently produced the super fight between pound-for-pound greats Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev, as well as a British fight of the year contender between Frank Buglioni and Hosea Burton.

The latter two certainly appeal to Yarde, but, he insists, only because they represent a progression in his career, with his ambition to fight ‘at least’ four to five times in 2017 to generate momentum under promoter Frank Warren.

The next chapter of Yarde’s own career will be opened in little over two months in an enthralling time for British boxing and it’s mention of the heavyweight contest between David Haye and Tony Bellew - a former British light heavyweight champion - that brings an exciting smile.

Yarde is excited to be part of the new venture between BT Sport and Box Nation (Image: Getty Images Europe)

“In boxing it’s a mismatch until the unexpected happens," Yarde responds when quizzed on who he believes will win. "Anything can happen. On paper? David Haye. He’s the bigger puncher.

“Tony Bellew? I feel like he will feel he’s still yet to prove himself, but you have to give it to David Haye.”

Anthony Yarde is a Maximuscle Athlete and was speaking following the launch of Maximuscle's Home of Gains. For a free session sign up at maximuscle.com/home-of-gains